Pennsylvania governor's race cost at $54 million and counting

HARRISBURG — Republican Gov. Tom Corbett and Democrat Tom Wolf have spent more than $54 million combined in their quests to win the Nov. 4 general election, according to the latest campaign finance reports.

Most of that money was spent on television commercials, according to records released Friday.

That leaves both candidates with a little more than $3 million each to use on late drives to get voters to the polls on Election Day.

If the candidates spend nearly all of what they have left, they would beat the all-time state record of about $56 million set by Democrat Ed Rendell and Republican Mike Fisher in 2002.

The 2002 total, however, pales in comparison to the $73 million spent by the two fall candidates, plus the three Democratic primary challengers Wolf defeated, according to a analysis of all spending by The Associated Press.

But money might not be enough to help Corbett win a second term by beating Wolf, the York county businessman and former state Revenue Secretary who used $10 million of his own money to propel his candidacy.

His personal wealth bought well-crafted folksy commercials featuring his Jeep, family and business that resonated with voters during the primary and into the general election. Meanwhile Corbett, polls show, has struggled to connect with voters who remain angry over education cuts in his first budget.

"Tom Wolf would not be in this race at all had he not run first two to three weeks of commercials [during the primary]," said G. Terry Madonna, Franklin & Marshall College pollster and political science professor. "Every subsequent poll done after that primary lead developed showed him beating Tom Corbett, and Tom Corbett has not led in one single poll from March until now. Not one."

Corbett has cut into Wolf's lead by making better inroads with Republican voters, polls show. But he still trails by an average of 17 percentage points.

Opinion polls do not matter, said Corbett's campaign spokesman Chris Pack. The amount of money Corbett has raised is proof that his candidacy is viable, Pack said, and voters are starting to question Wolf's plan to increase state spending and change the state's flat personal income tax to a graduated tax that could lead to tax increases.

"Tom Wolf spent a lot of money early on in the campaign for commercials that said, 'I drove a Jeep,'" Pack said. "That's good, but what you do for PA? People are taking a second look, and seeing he's not really a fresh start, he's a jump back to the days of Ed Rendell, who increased the size of state budget by $8 billion."

But as Wolf travels the state, talking one-on-one with voters, they like what they see and hear, said his campaign spokesman Mark Nicastre. Wolf's plan to make a more fair tax system resonates and will lead to a tax decrease for some middle class earners who want more spending for public education, he said.

"People want a fresh start, they want change and that is reflected [in] support throughout the state," Nicastre said.

Wolf has raised more money and outspent Corbett.

Wolf raised $30.9 million, which includes his personal money. He spent $27.8 million, a little more than half of which was spent to win the primary. He has $3 million left.

Corbett entered the re-election season with $3.5 million in the bank. He raised another $23.5 million, for a total of $27 million. That leaves him with $3.2 million. Corbett raised $25 million during his 2010 gubernatorial campaign.

Here's a look at some of their top donors in the latest round of campaign finance reports, which covers Sept. 16 to Oct. 20.

Corbett's top donations included $250,000 from John Middleton, a Bryn Mawr philanthropist and part owner of the Philadelphia Phillies, who has contributed at least $550,000 to the incumbent.

His running mate, Jim Cawley, chipped in $100,000 from his campaign accounts. The Pennsylvania Future Fund, a PAC run by GOP national committeeman and longtime Corbett ally Bob Asher, is listed as contributing $50,000 during the reporting cycle.

Corbett also received $35,300 from the Pennsylvania Associated Builders and Contractors political arm, and another $25,000 from Boscov's Department Stores CEO Al Boscov, who previously had donated $150,000 to the campaign.

Much of the $4.4 million that Corbett's campaign spent during the monthlong period was to pay for television and print advertising.

His finance report lists about $2.8 million going to Pittsburgh-based consulting firm BrabenderCox for purchasing media slots, and another $250,000 to the company for printing, production and other ad costs.

Wolf's big donors were unions' political action committees.

Carpenters PAC of Philadelphia and Vicinity gave $150,000.

The Philadelphia-based International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98 PAC gave two donations totaling $110,000.